With development of network techniques, Internet has deeply rooted in network users' mind. Among most Internet applications, information propagation and sharing via message client applications have become an indispensable part of people's daily life. During a communication procedure based on a message client application, there are usually a lot of messages (such as text information, image information and audio/video information, etc.) need to be transmitted.
Microblog is an information transmission system adopting the above message client application. Microblog is an instant information sharing, propagation and obtaining platform based on relationships of users. Users may log on microblog client applications via devices such as cell phone, computer, etc., so as to realize information sharing.
Considering instantaneity of the microblog, cell phone becomes one of the most carriers of the microblog. When browsing microblog messages using a cell phone, a user usually performs some sliding operations. Thus, one message not displayed on the screen will slide into the screen.
In the microblog system, a message is usually carried by a message unit (Message Cell). Usually, each Message Cell may include message content, a name and an avatar of a message author, etc. Multiple Message Cells form a list or a table (TimeLine) according to their times and are displayed on the screen of the cell phone.
When the user performs the sliding operation, a Message Cell not displayed on the screen will slide into the screen. As to each Message Cell which slides into the screen during the sliding operation, the microblog client application needs to download the message content, the name and the avatar of the message author corresponding to the Message Cell.
When the user performs the sliding operation quickly and continuously, there will be a lot of Message Cells sliding into the screen and then sliding out of the screen again. Thus, the microblog client application has to download the message content, the name and the avatar of the message author corresponding to each Message Cell once slid into the screen. However, at this time, what the user cares about is not the Message Cells once slid into the screen during the quick and continuous sliding operation, but those Message Cells which are displayed on the screen when the sliding operation ends. Thus, large amounts of network resources are wasted in downloading the message content and/or avatar of the message author corresponding to the Message Cells sliding into the screen during the sliding operation, especially when the message content corresponding to the Message Cells contains large files such as image or audio/video data.
As to cell phone users who accessing the network based on data traffic charge, the above download procedure wastes a lot of traffic and brings bad user experience.
Similarly, as to computer users who access network via wireless manners such as 3G, the same problem also exists.